When the Black Butterfly Flies No More
by uryufangirl
Summary: When Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki are selected as the District 13 tributes for the Hunger Games, they are released into an arena to fight 24 other tributes. Will they survive, or will they make it to the end? SUMMARY IS HORRID, JUST READ THE STORY!
1. Chapter 1

Au: Hey guys! It's Uryufangirl here again with another riviting tale from the craziest parts of my mind! I must warn you, this story may later make you cry, make you scream, and make you throw your computer out an open window. It pains me to write this because there are many character deaths, and that is just tragic. They are all characters from the anime except for my OC (Bella). If you have any suggestions, please review! I even accept flames. I have a new obcession, and I bet none of you can guess it ^-^ It's a Bleach pairing, and if you can guess it, I will give you this virtual cookie - (::) I am also addicted to the Hunger Games now, and my friend requested this because she is SUPER OBCESSED with both Bleach and the Hunger Games, just like me. :) I have started my Deviantart back up again, my username is of course Uryufangirl, as is my Youtube! I make AMVs and speedpaints, and I hope you enjoy them. ;) I'm thinking about making a Warriors and Bleach Crossover next, for ANOTHER friend (yes, i cannot think of my own ideas). I haven't been on because I was writing a story for the SARA contest in Sacramento, and obviously my hard work payed off, because I won! :D So, anyways, I hope you enjoy this story! P.S.: I will be leaving a song to listen to while you read each chapter, each will be different!

Song: "The Catalyst" by Linkin Park

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or so help me God, there would be nothing but Uryu all the time!

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I opened my eyes to screaming. I instinctively jumped up, knife in hand, and ran to the source; my sisters' room. I walked in to see Yuzu screaming and crying on her bed. She looked like she had just woken up, her eyes heavy from sleep. Her fraternal twin sister, Karin, was sitting next to her. "I was about to come get you. Yuzu just started freaking out all of a sudden." Yuzu and Karin were very different, in looks and in personality; Karin was fearless, tough as nails. Yuzu, on the other hand… I sat down on Yuzu's bed and held her tenderly to my chest.

"Shh…. It's okay…" I murmured. Today was reaping day in miserable District 13 and one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 will be chosen at random to "compete" in a fight to the death against 24 other children from 12 other districts on live TV. Yuzu and Karin were 12, and were entered into the reaping one time each. My shirt was soaked with tears, but she still continued to bawl into my chest.

"It was me… It was me!" she choked. It wouldn't be her… it couldn't be her. She only had her name in there once out of thousands. The name "Ichigo Kurosaki", however, will be entered into this deadly lottery 80 times. I take out tesserae, which was a meager years worth of oil and grain, for my sisters, my father, and I. I would never allow the girls to take out any tesserae. It wasn't worth it, but I'm willing to risk it. I'm fifteen, so I'm already halfway through this nightmarish era of any sane person's life. Even with my father being one of the only apothecaries's in town, if I weren't hunting and trading illegally outside of the fence of District 13, we would surely starve.

"Don't worry, you won't get pulled." I whisper. I let go of her and rummaged around in my pocket. I had picked this up at the market yesterday for her but I was saving it for today. I pulled a charm out of my pocket. It was decorated with a flame and skull design. I told Yuzu to open her palm and I placed it into it, gently folding her fingers over it with my hands. She hugged me and I gently smoothed her hair flat. My family is usually the only ones who see me like this; affectionate, loving. I let go of her and decided to hunt. "I'm going to get us some lunch… bathe yourselves and put on the dresses dad bought you for the reaping." I stood up and walked to my room, careful not to attract my sleeping father's attention. He didn't approve of me hunting illegally.

"What is your executed or turned into an avox? What would this family do without you?" He would say. I quickly changed into pants and a clean shirt. I put my knife in my belt and slipped on my leather hunting boots. I slipped out the door and made my way across town. The smell of rotting food and flesh filled my nose, making me gag. People would die and rot in the smoldering heat before their family could bury them. I made it to the edge of town and listened for the unlikely buzz from the electric fence that enclosed our district. It was never turned on, since we have maybe an hour of power in the evenings. I slipped through a gap in the fence and the scent of pine needles filled the air.

I retrieved my throwing knives which I used to hunt game. I made them myself out of sharp stone and store them in a hollow trunk. They functioned well enough to easily kill a squirrel. I treaded through the trees, my eyes darting around for any sign of game. I heard a rustle and turned my head towards the noise. There, by a small stream, was a giant buck. It didn't seem to notice me, and I had never caught one before. I reached for one of my knives, and without a sound, sent it flying. The buck looked up, and unfortunately for him, stuck in his forehead. He looked wounded, but still he tried to escape. He couldn't run, so I easily sprinted up to him and slit its neck before it could feel too much pain. I was proud of myself for catching this. We'll certainly eat well tonight.

Out of nowhere, a foot collided with my back. I fell and hit the ground hard. A kick to the shoulder followed soon after. I feared it was a peacekeeper, until my attacked shouted, "What the hell are you doing Ichigo, taking my kill?" _Rukia_. Before I could say anything, her foot collided with my groin. I let out a grunt of pain. _Damn, that midget can land some hard blows._ I turned over to see an angry look on her face.

"Rukia… you… bitch!" I sputtered. Her violet eyes shone with amusement, and her frown curled up at the corners. Her raven shoulder-length hair was blown softly by the breeze. She let out a giggle and extended her hand to me. "Ha, sorry… I've been tracking that freaking buck for the past fifteen minutes."

I scowled and let out a sigh. "I was gonna share it with you anyways!" Her eyes portrayed guilt, but instantly flashed back to their bright, amused selves. She extended her hand and I gratefully took it, standing up slowly. We decided we would walk to the stream and set some traps for fish. Rukia and I have known each other for about four years. She came to District 13 after her brother had been taken to the Capitol to be President Yamamoto's personal assistant. He could not bring her, and it was either they both go to jail, or he goes alone. She told him to go, and she had been living on her own, feeding herself and some of the other children who couldn't get enough food. We both didn't have mothers, as her had died when she was just a baby. Her sister, Hisana, was married to Byakuya, who was now in the Capitol. Sadly Hisana died from illness and her dying wish was for him to watch over Rukia. My mother died when I was very young, the girls were only about 2. She was working in the nuclear power plant testing a new type of unstable chemical, and it went horribly wrong. She died the next morning. I had been watching over the family ever since.

We set up traps in trees, on the ground, and in the stream. We plopped down on the lush grass that grew near the stream and enjoyed the sunlight. I found a bushel of sweet blackberries nearby, and we savored the taste. "So… do you think we'll be picked today…?" Rukia asked. I couldn't think of anything to say. _Would one of us get picked? Will both of us be picked?_ Rukia would probably not be picked; she only has her name in there three times since she doesn't withdraw any tesserae. I don't fear for my own life, I only fear for my family. She sighed, and I turned my attention back to her. "We should live here… you could bring your family… we'd always have food, it would just be us… No reaping, nothing to worry about but hovercrafts."

"You know we couldn't…" I said. It's unsafe here for younger kids. Hell, its unsafe here for grown men! She nodded, and we returned to the peaceful silence. At about noon, we walked back into District 13 with two squirrels, a few fish, and the buck. We had the butcher cut the buck and make venison steak. I traded one of the squirrels for a fresh loaf of bread, and had the fish gutted. "I'll see you at the reaping." I told Rukia. She nodded and smiled at me before walking back across District 13. When I got home, I was greeted by my father, unfortunately.

"ICHIGO!" I heard his yell from the living room. He leaped towards me, his foot poised to hit my face. I stopped his foot easily with my hand, being careful so that I didn't drop the food. I twisted my wrist and he flew into a wall. "There is nothing left… for me to teach you!" he wailed. I sighed and walked into the kitchen. Karin was sitting at the table doing her schoolwork and Yuzu was getting out a pan. Both of them were wearing identical blue dresses, Karin's hair worn in two pigtails that just reached her shoulders, Yuzu's done up in an ornate clip I got her for her birthday last year.

"Ichi-ni! Where did you get all that food?" she asked. I explained the story about the buck, and I thought Yuzu was going to burst into tears. "That poor thing!" She wouldn't survive a second in the wild… we could never run away. "You should go get ready, the reaping's very soon!" Yuzu scolded. I walked in and saw a fancy striped button-up shirt sitting on my bed. I put it on and changed into some gray slacks I didn't realize I even had. I tried to get my fire orange locks to smooth down, but it was futile. I walked into the kitchen, the enticing smell of venison steak hanging in the air. I walked in to find a small spread. Each of us had half a venison steak, the bread with some butter melted into the fresh bakery quality, which we almost never get.

We ate up quickly, and walked to the town square for the reaping. TV crews and a giant TV were set up in front of the Justice Building. A woman with caramel colored skin and long purple hair was up on stage, preparing for the ceremony. Her name was Yoruichi Shihoin, and she worked for the capitol, but everything about her was completely natural, unlike most of those freak shows. The mayor, Mr. Ukitate, sat in one of the three chairs on the stage. The TV went on and and Yoruichi called for attention. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She said. She didn't sound enthusiastic; she seemed to hate the hunger games just as much as everyone else did. Well, except for the careers in Districts 1 and 2. Just like every year, she read the Treaty of Treason and told the history of the Hunger Games. They set the large glass bowls that separated the female and male tribute's names on top of two pedestals. "Ladies first." She said monotonously. She reached her hand into the bowl and pulled out a name. She wet her lips and and prepared to read the name into the microphone.

"Yuzu Kurosaki!" she yelled.

It felt like a hard punch to the face. A wave of sorrow swept over me, which swiftly turned to boiling anger. I saw Yuzu, tears falling from her eyes, walking to the front. "NO!" I screamed. I tried to run into the middle of the isle, but the peacekeepers held me back. I thrashed and tried to fight them. _They can't take her! She would never survive up against a bunch of cruel murderers fighting for their life! _ I was about to bite the peacekeeper's hand when I heard a voice ring out from the girls section.

"I VOLUNTEER!"

AND THE SUSPENSE BUILDS UP! Who volunteered? Well you'll have to wait another few days :D If you really like it, I will start updating twice a week... for now, its once every Friday!

Uryu: But I wanna read more ;-;

Ichigo: Wait, what about my sister! What the f**k! **** *** ******* ***** fnusiafhoiaewjflabds!

Me: SHUT UP!

See u next Friday~3


	2. Chapter 2

Sup bros? I'm sorry it's so late, my computer was infected with a virus, lost the chapter, had to reinstall everything, and got my computer taken away, so about a month and a half combination. But fear not, I have returned! I am very excited due to all of the positive reviews I got from this story, so continue it I shall. I will be able to update weekly, and so I hope you guys are all pleased with once a week. Thanks for all of the favoriters and story updaters too, it touches my heart to know that I'm a decent writer. This next one is for you 3

Song: Not the End- The Glee Cast (strange, I know XD)

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, for it belongs to the marvelous Tite Kubo. :)

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My heart sank as I recognized the voice that had volunteered in place of my sister. "NO!" I could hear Yuzu screaming her head off, but it seemed so far away. I watched her walk up onto the stage, her hands balled into fists, biting her bottom lip in an effort not to cry. "What is your name?" Yoruichi asked, handing her the microphone.

"Rukia Kuchiki, age 16," she muttered into the microphone, her purple eyes boring into me. 'Please don't go!' he thought, returning the same solemn look. Things that would probably never be said, but didn't need to. She stood in silence as the crowd stared speechless at her. No one cheered, not even Yoruichi. Suddenly, Yoruichi pulled her into a hug, and Rukia stood, stiff as a board, in her arms.

"You're such a brave girl..." her whisper came slightly through the microphone. Rukia closed her eyes and said nothing. No one had ever been like this towards the contestants, and it was almost refreshing to see. Yoruichi released her grip on Rukia and walked over to the large glass ball that contained the name of every male in District 13, including his. She reached her hand into the bowl and picked a name. She opened the slip of paper, and suddenly she gritted her teeth, her amber eyes dulled as she looked out at the crowd. "Ichigo Kurosaki," she said quite blandly, knowing all too well what would happen next. Time slowed as I took in everything around me. I heard screaming from the back of the crowd, probably Yuzu and Karin. I saw Rukia's eyes, how large they got when my name was called, the look of horror on her face. My heart seemed to break realizing that they all knew that I was going to face certain death. I walked slowly up to the stage, remaining calm, refusing to show my emotions and appear weak. I scowled down at the crowd, and couldn't bear to look in Rukia or my sisters' direction.

Yoruichi looked at me, her pity clear in her eyes. She put one hand on my shoulder and one on Rukia's. "Shake hands you two," she said. I looked at Rukia and put out my hand. She looked at it, and then up at me, and launched herself into my arms. She hugged me with a death grip, and I gently patted her back. Yoruichi looked at the both of us, blinking in surprise. Soon we were pulled apart, and taken into the capitol building. I walked down a long hallway, the plush upholstery and elegant wallpaper looking lifeless and gray. They pushed me into a room, where I sat on a velvet couch. I sighed, combing my orange hair with my hand. 'What am I going to do?' I thought, bringing my head to my hands. I sat in my own despair for a bit, and then feet coming down the hallway forced me out of my trance. The door burst open and I was tackled by my sisters, who were crying and begging me not to go. My father stepped in soon after, his face unnaturally blank and eerily calm. He walked in and sat beside me, resting his hand on my shoulder.

"Ichi-ni, you can't go!" Yuzu cried. She sounded so sad, hopeless. It was like when Mom died. She was just old enough to understand she wasn't going back, and it hurt everyone to see her so melancholic and out of character. Karin hugged me, tears streaming down her face. I haven't seen Karin cry since Mom died. Not when she was beat up and made fun of for her tattered clothing right after Mom's death. Not when she broke her arm falling out of a tree, not even when her best friend was executed after she stole an apple to feed to her baby brother because she was in the same situation our family had been in. Seeing her crying now, for me, was almost too much for me to bear. We sat like this for a while, simply crying in memory of us, of our soon to be brutally shattered family, like at mom's funeral. I looked at my dad, who was still sitting in a calm silence.

"Dad, look at me. You have to take care of them. You have to, because I won't be here to help you!" I was yelling now, not out of rage, but because I was praying that the girls would still be taken care of. I looked to the girls, my voice softening. "Don't take out any tesserae, it's not worth it. I have connections in town, so I'm sure they'll help you and feed you. Karin, I don't want you going into the woods unless you absolutely have to. You know where my hunting supplies are, so learn to use them and remember what I taught you. I want you guys to be good, and don't worry. I'll try to make it home if I can, I promise. I love you, and don't worry about me," I said, getting slow but affirming nods. I hugged them one last time, and then the guards came in. My sister's kicked and screamed, not wanting to leave, and even my father tried to fight to stay. In the end, they were all taken out of the room.

No one else visited me, so me and Rukia were seperately brought to the train that leads to the capitol. We got on board and were shown our rooms, only a few doors from each other. I sat down on my bed as we rolled away, seeing all of the citizens of District 13 staring melancholically at us as we departed, and I felt misery surrounding me like a cloud as I left my home; the only thing I had ever known. As soon as it was a tiny dot in the distance, I headed out the door and down the hallway to the dining room, where Yoruichi sat. I sat at the table and waited awkwardly for something to happen. "I'm sorry..." Yoruichi said boldly, looking at me with pure sincerity in her eyes. I shook my head and looked at the ornate design on the mahogany table, until I heard a door open. Rukia walked in, wearing a bright yellow dress, her face red and tear-stained. I looked at her and frowned.

She looked at me and and looked back down at the table. It was painful to look at her; my best friend, who was about to be one of my 26 enemies in a fight to the death. I jumped as the door next to Yoruichi opened and a loud laugh echoed around the room. In stepped a man with bright yellow hair, a flask clasped in his hand. He was wearing a pair of sandals and a green and white striped hat, his smile showing his pure white teeth. He sat down next to Yoruichi and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Yorichi sighed and rolled her eyes, shaking him off. "What'sh wrong?" he sleered, frowning. "Why do yah wanna keep our love a secret?" he cried, flinging both arms around her. Yoruichi growled and sent a swift punch to his jaw, causing him to fall out of his chair. "That'sh no way to treat a victor!" he pouted, climbing back into his chair.

"This is Urahara Kisuke, the only winner from District 13 alive," Yoruichi said, distain thick in her voice. He nodded and took another swig from his flask. Before he could say something idiotic, the door opened and the best smells in the history of my existance wafted into the room. At least six servers walked through the door, carrying giant plates of food. My mouth watered and my stomach growled in agreement. The second the food was put down I grabbed as much as I could fit in my hands. I placed it in a large heap on my plate and began eating. Yoruichi's brow was raised in amusement. I looked over at Rukia and saw her with a meager plate of food.

"I'm sorry," she said, putting a small bite in her mouth. "Nothing just seems appetizing to me right now." I could understand, but after being so underfed for so long, you would think that you would try and eat as much as you could to get your strength up for the games. Urahara looked at my plate, a smile spreading across his drunken face.

"Damn that boy can eat!" he laughed, shoveling food onto his own plate. He looked over at Rukia's plate and shook his head. "Hun, you got a few pounds to gain, so eat up. If you don't, God knows you'll be torn apart the second you step into that arena- unless you can use your looks to your advantage," he said, raising his eyebrows. I stood up and grabbed at Urahara, holding him by his collar.

"Don't you talk about her like that! She's nervous, and who wouldn't be? We are going to die, and if not, we'll have to kill people! And she is not using her... body, on live TV to stay alive, she can do that herself!" I shouted in his face. Yoruichi snickered and I scowled at her. She shook her head and took a bite of her food. When I sat down I realized Rukia was no longer next to me. "Where'd she go?" I asked, murderously stabbing at my food with my fork.

"She went back to her room... looked pretty embarassed when you said all that stuff," Yoruichi said, pointing back towards the end of the train. I sighed and got up from the table. I walked back to her door and quietly stuck my ear to the door. Just as I did, the door shot open and I fell, my head hitting the floor. I stared up at Rukia who was standing over me, a death glare stuck on her face. I stood up and rubbed my throbbing head, looking at Rukia in surprise.

"What the hell was that for?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and hit me on the side of the head where I had hit the floor. I hissed in pain, and gave Rukia a death glare.

"I'm not a weak little girl!" she yelled at me, frowning. "I can take care of myself! And maybe you should listen to Urahara, he might have some good ideas!" I stared at her mutinously. Would she really do what he said about using her body to stay alive?

"You never got mad when I defended you before! On top of that, do you really think I would allow you to do what he said? You don't need to, and it's disgusting that he would say that!" I yelled back. There was no reason she had to listen to him, he was just a drunk loser.

"You don't own me and say what I can and can't do! And remember, this is the Hunger Games.. once we begin, we're enemies fighting for our lives. I'm sorry, but I want to stay alive as much as you do! I would take care of your siblings, I promise you. Now, until then, I don't want any unnecissary connections to you. It'll just be harder to see you die," she said coldly. I wanted to scream, and cry, and kill; all at the same time. Why was the world so cruel, to turn best friends against each other? Rukia growled and pushed me out of the room, slamming her door shut. I rested my forehead against the door, pain overwhelming any other emotions. Why did this have to happen?


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! Finally, an update that's ON TIME! So, anyways, I want to state something right now: this is not an ichiruki fanfiction. There will be pairings, just not that one. As I said, this is a tradgedy. I have something much more bittersweet planned for them! Sadly, I noticed my first flaw :( I wanted to make the Captain of each division the mayor, since I put in 13 Districts, but Byakuya is the Captain of the 6th Division, yet he's working in the Capitol D: Oh well, don't cry over spilled milk! In this installment, you are going to meet the contestants. I designed them to be after the timeskip, so they will be different if they changed at all during the time after the Winter War! I also may have adjsuted some a little bit since I wanted the ages to be a variety. And if you have a problem with who I picked, don't read. Simple as that. I want to say something concerning the songs. I don't necessarily choose them to describe the chapter, just to set a certain mood. It's usually what I'm listening to while I write the chapter. Lastly, I am sorry for any spelling mistakes. It's because my Microsoft word took a shit so I have to get a new one. I am currently using Wordpad, and it doesn't have spellcheck. I reread and looked for mistakes, and if I missed some I apologize! Now, let's start this freakin' chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. If I did, Renruki would be a couple, Orihime would be dead, and it would be Ichiishi all around ;)

Song: Diary of Jane- Breaking Benjamin

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My thought's were restless that night. I took a quick shower, my first one with heated water. There were so many temperature options my head started to spin. I slipped into a random pair of pajamas I found in the dresser and flopped under the covers. I should probably be crying, I thought. Most contestants did. They were leaving their home, families, and everything they had known behind, plunging ahead into the unfair unknown. I tossed and turned, ruffling my crazy orange hair into a nest-like state. I wonder what's going on at home. The family probably has their shutters closed, candles lit around my picture like when mom died. The rest of the venison left untouched on the table. I really hope it isn't like that. Eerily silent, with waves of despair passing to and from one another. I shivered at the thought, and turned on my side, only to have something flash right in my eye. I sat up, startled, and saw that the moonlight was reflecting off of something on my floor.

I stood up and walked to the floor, where my clothes lay in a heap. Just beneath my shirt was a photo. I got on my knees and picked up the picture. I saw my mother's face smiling back at me. It was our family, back when it was whole. I stood in between my mother and father, holding one of each of their hands in my small 4-year-old ones. My mother was holding a frail, pinkish infant Yuzu, and my father was holding Karin. I felt pain stab me like a knife. "Mom... Maybe I'll be with you soon. We can watch over the girls, and see my father deal with them growing up. I would love to see you again. It's been a long time. Much too long," I muttered, putting the portrait on my lap. I wonder how Dad managed to sneak this without me noticing. I took the picture and put it next to my bed side. I looked at the picture, remembering how it used to be. A sense of peace washed over me, and the world soon faded to black.

My eyes snapped open as I felt a large bump. I flew up at least a foot in the air, falling off of the plush bed onto the floor. I stood up and grabbed for my knife, which i realized was not there. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. I walked into the dining room to see a large breakfast spread out; everything from coffee to bagels to eggs and... A heavenly scent filled the air and my mouth watered. It smelled of grease, but also of what I would presume to be pure happiness. I sat down and looked at the source; it looked crispy, almost unappetizing. I looked at it with wonder and took one from the plate. I took a cautious bite, and the next thing I knew, the whole piece was gone. "What... what was that!" I thought aloud.

"That's bacon, basically fatty cuts of pork. You're telling me you've never had bacon before?" Yoruichi's voice came in from the entrance opposite of which he was facing. Ichigo shook his head and grabbed another piece. Rukia entered through the door he had come in and took a seat across the table from him. She grabbed a bagel spread with cream chesse and ate only a meager half of it before getting up and walking into the next car over. I looked at my own plate and stood up. She should be eating more. We're put into the arena only four days from now. I followed her into the next car, which I haven't even seen yet. It was a large living room, full of plush couches and a giant tv. It was a loop of all the District drawings from yesterday. It seemed to have just began, so I took a seat. "These are your competitiors, so observe them well," she heard Yoruichi say from behind him, causing him to jump.

It began in District 1, where there were always volunteers. The second a boy's name was called, he heard a voice from the crowd shout out to volunteer. The boy who had originally been called walked off the stage, crestfallen. It pissed me off to see people who were upset to be taken out of the running. Every other District would kill to stop the Hunger Games. Then he noticed the boy who was taking the much smaller boy's place. This guy was the same age as Ichigo, but almost twice his height, or so it seemed. He had shoulder-length pure black hair, along with an eyepatch covering his right eye. He had long, lanky limbs and a huge, eery smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. "Nnoitra Gilga, age 16," he purred into the microphone.

"That guy is creeping me out," Rukia said, shivering. I had to agree; he looked creepy and dangerous. "We should watch out for him," she said. The announced moved onto the girls, and as expected, another girl took the one before her's place. Up walked a tall, dark skinned girl with green eyes. She had short, messy blonde hair with three long, braided locks. She was very endowed, and her high collar covered her neck. When the announcer asked her name, she looked at the camera and smiled. "Tier Harribel, age 17." She looked fragile and beautiful on the outside, but you could tell she could kill you in a split second. The screen changed to another District; District 2. Again, there were substitutions.

The guy from District 2; Szayel Aporro, had unnatural-looking pink hair. His silver-rimmed glasses sat in front of his mischievous amber eyes. He too wore a wide grin, and he seemed overjoyed to be there. The girl however did not look extremely happy, though she had volunteered. Her name was Sui-Feng; no last name and appearing to have no family. She was very petite; probably not even 5 feet, similar to Rukia. She had dull looking gray eyes and short black hair, with two long braids bound in white cloth, ending with golden rings. She stated her name and age and walked off into the Justice Building, not even bothering to shake hands with the other competitor. She had guts; I have to give her that.

Next was District 3, whose competitors didn't look all to threatening. The boy was a 15-year-old named Izuru Kira; he looked rather depressed; dark bags under his eyes, a sad expression on his face. The girl had volunteered; she was 17, and her name Cirucci. Her last name was unpronunciable, having something to do with a sandwich. She had short purple-colored hair, which matched her eyes exactly. She had teardrop tattoos on each cheek, and her black fingernails shone brightly in the sweltering sunlight. In District 4, the competitors looked unusually frail this year. Perhaps from the hunger that often plagues District 4-13, though these guys looked really overworked, scrawny, and pale. The boy, Hanataro Yamada, was only 14. He looked small and frail next to the other competitors, and quite plain; short black hair and brown eyes, cleary carrying the District 4 traits. When his name was called, he instantly began tearing up, begging someone to volunteer. No one did. Isane Kotatsu was the woman's name; she seemed very upset about being called, naturally. She was unnaturally tall, almost the same height as that Nnoitra. She had short hair the color of fresh winter snow.

The girl from District 5 almost broke my heart; the way she was crying, begging for someone to help her when she was called. She seemed rather unstable, and you could tell by her clothes she had been to a doctor recently. Her black hair was worn up in a bun surrounded by white cloth, though in her fit, long streams of hair were frizzing out of it. She looked like she hadn't slept in a long time, and for 14, she was awefully small. Momo Hinamori, I think her name was. I couldn't understand while she was screaming and crying into the microphone. The boy was a huge, tanned skin boy, whose wavy brown hair fell in front of his eyes. He was very muscular; probably from working his whole life. His name was Chad; he was the same age as him and Rukia, yet could probably stomp on them and kill them easily. The boy from District 6, Renji Abarai, had spiky red hair worn in a high ponytail. He had tattoos covering most of his body, and he wore a white piece of cloth wrapped around his head. He was about Ichigo's height, and the same age. The girl, however, wouldn't last a night in the arena. Orihime Inoue; she had bright, long orange hair with a sparkling blue flower clip pinning back her bangs. She looked small, and she looked more frazzled than scared. On her way up to the stage, she fell flat on her face, making Rukia chuckle.

District 7's boy, however, was plain scary. He had short, scruffy black hair and piercing, cat-like green eyes. At first I thought he was crying; but it turned out to be teal tattoos in the shape of lines leading from his eyes down to his chin. He had ghostly white skin, giving off the illusion he had never seen the sun in his life. His upper lip was streaked with black. His name was Ulquiorra Cifer, and I made a mental note to try to avoid him as much as possible when we got into the arena. The crowd nearly broke into a riot when the girl was called; she was only 12, though she looked like she could have been 3. Her name was Neliel. She was tiny, like, four foot tiny. She had large green eyes, which were slowly filling with tears. Her short, messy green hair was partially covered by a hat that looked like a skull. She had a large scar on her forehead, branching out in three different directions, including a long pinkish mark over the bridge of her nose. She vainly tried to wipe her tears with her tiny hands, and could barely say her name and age into the microphone. It almost would have been better if she didn't. District 8's girl was cold and cynical looking. She had black hair put into a straight and orderly bun, glasses in front of her no-nonsense eyes. Her name was Nanao Ise, age 17, and the mayor, Shunsui Kyoraku, looked very upset with her leaving. The boy actually volunteered, which rarely happens in the outer Districts. His name was Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, age 16. He had bright blue spikey hair and light blue eyes, which had green lines below them. He wore a psychotic grin, and brutally swiped the microphone from the woman who represtented his district. He went on about how he was going to win this; how he was going to hunt us all down, and in very excruciatingly specific detail, kill us.

District 9's girl looked rather impassive, like she didn't have much to lose. She had caramel colored, curly hair reaching just past her shoulders. She had bright blue eyes, which displayed close to no emotion. You could see fear, but she didn't express it, talking calmly into the microphone. "Bella Johnson, age 15." The boy looked anxious, but not scared. His name is Shuhei Hisagi. He had tall, lean features, and dark gray eyes. His short black hair unsuccessfully tried to cover three long scars over his eye that lead down to his right cheek. A number "69" tattoo decorated his left cheek, along with a blue-striped tattoo running from his left cheek over the bridge of his nose. He was the same age as Ichigo, but with a firmer build. The girl from District 10 looked like she had been drinking. Her name was Rongiku Matsumoto; long, blonde hair, large breats, and pouty lips. She was only 17, but teetered, intoxicated, onto the stage. The boy, Toshiro Hitsugaya, was only 14. He was short for his age, about Karin's height. He had icy blue eyes and spikey white hair. He looked very annoyed with Rongiku, but he tried to keep his face expressionless. Sadly, when Rongiku fell off the stage, his tactic failed. He yelled at her about how she was annoying and irressponsible. "Why are you so mean to me?" she responded in a whiney voice.

District 11 housed another 12-year old; Yachiru Kusajishi. Mayor Kenpachi was extremely upset about her being called; he threatened to kill a peacekeeper, but was simply dragged away, thrashing to try and get loose, to no avail. She was shorter than Neliel; smaller than four feet by a long shot. She looked like she could easily be flung across the room by even the smallest competitor. She had bubblegum pink hair, dark pink eyes, and a perpetual blush. She wore a cross-bone hair-clip in her hair. She looked almost clueless as to what was going on, giggling on the stage, talking to her male competitor. Ikkaku Madarame was his name, and he looked extremely guilty to be going into the competition against a little 12-year-old. He was completely bald, despite being only 17. He was tall and lanky, red outlining his narrow eyes. District 12's girl was blatantly emotionless; she revealed nothing in her eyes, nothing in her expression. She stood straight as a pole on stage, her arms at her sides. She had a long black braid winding down her back, with plain green eyes. When I heard that Nemu Kurotsuchi was the mayor's daughter, I was surprised to see Mayuri Kurotsuchi, her father, sitting and smiling devilishily, laughing at the fact that his daughter was called. The boy from her District, Uryuu Ishida, a plain-looking 16-year-old with short black hair, long bangs, and silver-rimmed glass, looked about ready to kill the mayor because of this.

We turned it off before we could see ourselves getting picked back in District 13, mostly because he knew Rukia would be upset again. "There's no way we can beat most of these contestants," I said outloud. Rukia and Yoruichi looked at me mutinously. I don't understand why it was that big of a surprise that I said it. It was simply inevitable. Yoruichi shook her head.

"Don't say that yet. We don't even know their training scores; they may look scary, but the scores will most likely reflect their actual skills," Yoruichi said. "Trust me, there have been a lot of people like that." I stood up and walked back into my room. I sat next to the newfound picture, looking at my family.

"How can I win this?" I whispered, looking at my mom. I wasn't surprised that I didn't hear a voice reassuring me. There was no one here now, no one that would actually care if I survived or not. It's brutal in there, and right now, all I have is my own self-confidence, my own reassurance. Sadly, this doesn't help in the slightest.

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Not my best work :/ Well, next Friday I'll put out chapter 4! As Pewdiepie says, "Ba-haaiii!"

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BROFIST ...


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys.^^ Sorry, I'm late again, but I've got it up. This chapter is shorter, but only because I have some issues with this story. Honestly, I'm not a fan of my own story, and I feel that I'm not writing very well when I write this. When I actually don't want to write a story, that's when I know that the story's not right for me :( I will continue to write, since my readers seem to like it, but the chapters will probably be around this long now. Sooo I need costume ideas. I have a few planned, but I want to know if any of you have any ideas for the District 13 costumes for Ichigo and Rukia. PLEASE PM IDEAS, NOT POST IT ON THE REVIEW PAGE. I would really appreciate it, and I WILL recognize you for the idea in the story. So, I decided to make Ururu and Jinta older (Jinta is Rukia's stylist) so that they could be the stylists, just to let you know. Well, that's it boys and girls. Enjoy the story! :)

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Soon, the train pulled up to the station in District 1. I made sure to dress nicely; it would hopefully make some kind of impression on the sponsors. As me and Rukia stood in front of the train door, which was about to open, all we could do was shoot each other icy glares. What had made her so angry at me; me defending her, or maybe just the stress of the games, upset me. She was the only person I had to remind me of home, she was my best friend, and losing her was like dying in itself. I simply looked back at the door, trying to avoid her gaze. She let out a "humph" and looked at the door as well. "Okay, it's about to open, so get ready," Yoruichi said from somewhere behind me. Suddenly, the door opened, and the deafening screams of thousands of people dominated my hearing. The sun shone bright in the sky, above even the tallest of the skyscrapers that were scattered around District 1. The people looked strange, unnatural, even. Most had their skin or hair dyed a ridiculous color. Make-up layered their face, and I cringed knowing that depending on my stylist, I could look like them.

We walked down a long red carpet that seemed to stretch endlessly in front of us, all of the other competitors and teams in front of us. I looked over at Rukia and saw her smiling and waving at the crowd. _What the __**fuck**__ was she doing?_ Was she trying to act friendly and happy in order to win over sponsors? That had to be it; she hasn't been more than miserable in days. I could hear Urahara laughing like a maniac behind me, like he was glad to be back. The crowd seemed to be closing in on me, and everything seemed to make me feel worse; the light was too bright, the air too humid. When breathing became a chore, something was obviously wrong. Thankfully, we reached the end of the carpet, which led into a gargantuan hotel.

The hotel was brightly lit by a giant crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The tapestries were intricate and ornate looking; even the rug looked like it cost as much as my house back home. We didn't need to check in; they clearly knew who we were. Rukia, Yoruichi, Urahara, and I walked into one of the three glass elevators. I had never even been in a _regular_ elevator. Yoruichi pushed the button that would lead us to floor 13, and the doors closed with a little pinging noise. I looked over at the elevator next to ours and saw the light blue haired boy from District 8. _His name is Grimmjow, I think_. He looked over at me and smiled like a maniac. I turned my head and forced myself to look forward. I could tell he would be after me the second we got into the arena, just because of that little interaction. The elevator stopped and the doors opened back up, leading us into a long hallway with beautiful paintings and fancy light-fixtures. I felt so out of place here.

We opened the door at the end of the hallway, and I couldn't help but feel even more uncomfortable. The room was lavish, full of expensive, fancy-looking furniture. Gadgets were everywhere, and I recognized not one of them. There was an amazing view of the city out a giant bay window. We stepped in and Yoruichi showed us to our rooms. "Don't get comfortable, we're leaving to meet your stylists in a few minutes. I closed the door and took out the picture of my family that I had taken with me off the train. I put it on a mahogany bedside table next to the large, posturepedic king bed. I changed into a shirt and simple pair of pants and walked into the kitchen. I saw a gadget in the center of the large dining table, with a list of snacks. I didn't recognize any of the snacks, so I clicked a random snack on the list. I heard a small thumping noise and a small clink. I noticed there were small slots under the table, and in the slot nearest to me, there was a tiny pack with little cookies in it.

I gingerly opened the packet and took out one of the small brown cookies. It had the symbol of some kind of bird on it, an arrow caught in its beak. I put it in my mouth and savored the sweet, chocolate taste. I ate the rest and threw out the package. "So, I see you figured out how to work it," Yoruichi said from the doorway, making me jump. Why did she always have to startle me every time she talks? I nodded and looked at the name of the cookies. _Mockingjays, huh?_ "That's my favorite kind of cookie," Yoruichi said, pressing them on the list of snacks and grabbing them from the under-the-table compartment. "They say these cookies were made after a failed revolution hundreds of years ago… the leader of the resistance wore a mockingjay pin on her lapel." _She sounds like a fool._ Who would go against the capital, when they were so powerful? They controlled every aspect of life, and if we so much as dared to defy them, they could kill us in an instant. "Come on, we gotta go," Yoruichi said, throwing away her own cookie wrapper. We left the hotel and headed towards a large building, where we would train for the games and meet our stylists. We walked in and, again, went to the 13th floor.

Rukia and I were separated, and before I knew it, I was in a pure white room with only a sterile, silver table and a mirror. I wore a long baby blue gown, and I was anxious to meet my stylist. _Please don't let her have to see me naked… It will be __**way **__too awkward. _They could choose to make us go naked in the parade, and I would sooner kill myself than do that. "Are you ready to begin?" a female voice I asked me. I whirled around and saw a woman, though she looked like she could be only 14. She had long, black hair that went to the small of her back. She had one long lock in front of her face, which forked off to each side of her nose. "My name is Ururu Tsumugiya, and I'll be your stylist." She walked over and held my arm in her hands, and she slowly looked over my body, stopping at my face. I felt my face get hot; this was just a little girl, and she was studying him like a science experiment.

"I'm not going to disrobe in front of a child," I said, getting redder at the thought. Ururu narrowed her eyes and sighed. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt.

"I'm 22, I'll have you know. And there will be none of that… Here, put these on," she said, tossing the clothes at me. She went over to a door I hadn't even realized I was there and opened it. "When you're done, come on in, and we can start on your… transformation," she muttered, smirking.

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So, yah ^^ R&R will be appreciated. I have decided to make a sequel to my story "Battle Scars", so be looking for that! I also want ideas for Japanese child names, boy and girl. So, if you would like to submit ideas, PM me. Bye guys!


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